Hinkley Point
{{Short description|Headland on the Bristol Channel, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
File:Hinkley Point Power Station - from the Quantock Hills - geograph.org.uk - 1603511.jpg]]
Hinkley Point is a headland on the Bristol Channel coast of Somerset, England, {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} north of Bridgwater and {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} west of Burnham-on-Sea, close to the mouth of the River Parrett.
Excavations in 2014 and 2015, carried out by Cotswold Archaeology and funded by Électricité de France (EDF) in preparation for the construction of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, discovered a farming settlement at the site dating from the Iron Age and then a post Roman cemetery.{{cite web|title=Archaeology at Hinkley Point|url=https://archaeologyathinkleypoint.wordpress.com/archaeology-in-action/hinkley-point/|publisher=South West Heritage Trust|accessdate=30 September 2016}}{{cite web|title=Hinkley Point C excavations unearth bones from the Dark Ages|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-30849222|publisher=BBC|accessdate=30 September 2016}}
Hinkley Point adjoins Bridgwater Bay, a Site of Special Scientific Interest{{cite web | title=Bridgwater Bay SSSI | work=Natural England |url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/Special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1001145 | accessdate=19 February 2007}} and nature reserve,{{cite web | title=Bridgwater Bay Natural Area | work=Natural England |
url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/natural/NA_Details.asp?NA_Id=115 | accessdate=19 February 2007}} and is a popular location for birdwatching and fossil hunting. A visitor centre in Bridgwater gives access to information, as well as running tours of the plant. There is also a nature trail which features plants, birds and butterflies.{{cite web | title=Hinkley Point Nature Trail to reopen | work=British Energy |url=http://www.british-energy.com/article.php?article=124 | accessdate=19 February 2007}}
The exposed location of Hinkley Point meant that it was considered ideal for wind generation. However, a proposal to build 12 wind turbines close to the site of the nuclear power stations was turned down in October 2005.{{cite web | title=Wind turbine farm plans rejected | work=BBC News |
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/4379346.stm | accessdate=19 February 2007 | date=26 October 2005}} The reason given by West Somerset District Council for the rejection was safety fears over what would happen were a turbine blade to detach and hit "something or somebody".
Nuclear power stations
The landscape of Hinkley Point is dominated by three nuclear power stations:
- Hinkley Point A, with two Magnox reactors (1965–2000)
- Hinkley Point B, with two Advanced gas-cooled reactors in one building (1976–2022)
- Hinkley Point C, with two European Pressurised Reactors (under construction since 2017)
In 2008, the Brown Government announced its support for a third nuclear power station at Hinkley Point. EDF Energy plan to build a power station consisting of two European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) units, called Hinkley Point C, subject to electricity pricing agreement with the government.
{{cite web
| title= New dawn for UK nuclear power
| publisher= WNN
| date= 24 September 2008
| url= http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN_New_dawn_for_UK_nuclear_power_2409081.html
| accessdate= 25 September 2008
}}
| title= EdF still undecided about Hinkley Point C go-ahead
| author= Declan Lynch
| newspaper= New Civil Engineer
| date= 18 April 2013
| url= http://www.nce.co.uk/news/energy/edf-still-undecided-about-hinkley-point-c-go-ahead/8646617.article?blocktitle=Exclusive-news-from-NCE-magazine&contentID=204
| accessdate= 21 April 2013
| archive-date= 7 April 2014
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140407081302/http://www.nce.co.uk/news/energy/edf-still-undecided-about-hinkley-point-c-go-ahead/8646617.article?blocktitle=Exclusive-news-from-NCE-magazine&contentID=204
| url-status= dead
}}
HMG said in 2008 that the new Hinkley Point and Sizewell C power stations would contribute 13% of UK electricity in the early 2020s. While the initial constructor EDF was in critical financial trouble, contracts were signed to bring the China General Nuclear Power Group on board in September 2016.{{cite web|last1=Moylan|first1=John|title=Hinkley Point contract is signed|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37502547|publisher=BBC|accessdate=30 September 2016}}{{cite news|last1=Mason|first1=Rowena|title=Hinkley Point: ministers sign go-ahead for nuclear power plant|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/sep/29/hinkley-point-ministers-sign-go-ahead-for-nuclear-power-plant|accessdate=30 September 2016|work=Guardian|date=29 September 2016}} Hinkley Point C is projected to use three million tonnes of concrete and 230,000 tonnes of steel reinforcements.{{Cite web|url=https://nrl.co.uk/hpc|title=Major Project - Hinkley Point C|last=Connolly|first=Jay|date=30 October 2018|website=NRL Ltd|access-date=30 October 2018}} One of its claims to fame is that the project was as of 2020 "the most expensive nuclear power station in the world".{{cite news |last1=Farage |first1=Nigel |title=Of course Huawei is getting an easy ride. The British establishment has been bought up by China |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/27/course-huawei-getting-easy-ride-british-establishment-has-bought/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget |publisher=Daily Telegraph |date=28 January 2020}}
References
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